Arthur released Merlin's arm, and after a few seconds of silence, Gaius spoke. "Sire, what are your plans regarding telling people about Merlin?"
"I hadn't really thought about that," said Arthur slowly. "Merlin, what do you want to do?"
Merlin was silent for a few moments, then said, "I think I'd like to tell my friends personally. After that, you can make an announcement, but my friends deserve to hear the truth from me."
"When you say friends, you mean..."
"The rest of the original Round Table- Perceval, Elyan, Leon, and Gwen."
"Ah...Merlin, um- I've actually told Gwen already."
"Oh. How did she take it?"
"Pretty well, I think. She didn't quite believe it- she still might not- but she doesn't think you should be killed."
"So, only three people to tell then," said Merlin. "Would I be allowed to interrupt their training to tell them now?"
"I think you should tell them after they're done," said Arthur. "What you can do is go tell them to come up here after they finish."
When Merlin came back, Gaius was puttering around, and Arthur was sitting with a bored expression on his face. "What took you so long?" he asked.
"It took me a while to find Perceval," said Merlin. "But the three of them will be coming here after training is done. In the meantime, do you have any more questions?"
"Your friend Will. He lied about being a sorcerer, didn't he?"
"He did," replied Merlin. "He was taking the blame, because he didn't want to see you hurt me, and he was dying anyway." He paused, then said, "You know, I was going to tell you. About me. But I never got the chance to."
"Ah," said Arthur, and he and Merlin fell into silence. After a while, Arthur blurted out, "Morgana doesn't know you have magic. Why?"
"I never told her," said Merlin.
"But why not? You both have magic," replied Arthur.
"Because people told me not to," said Merlin. "Arthur, what are you going to do about Morgana?"
"What do you mean?"
"I could kill her," said Merlin. "I'm more powerful than she is, and she'd be out of our hair for good. And I know she's your sister, but she wants you dead. So what should I do?"